Four points of the same star

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Detective Conan.

Prologue

They were walking side by side. Their.. date had gone well and they had had a good time -if we don't count the murder and the time where he put the clues together and framed the killer.

She was still upset because of it. Why, he couldn't figure out. Maybe seeing dead bodies had become an habit to him. He didn't voice this thought loudly because he was sure that she would feel even worse. And, most important of all, he wasn't clever in calming a crying girl as he was in solving cases. A sudden movement caught his attention and he was pulled out of his train of thoughts.

"Hm?"

A man was furtively looking around himself in front of an alley, half hidden by a bush. Dressed in black from head to toe, he looked menacing more than just suspicious because of his sturdy build. The dark sunglasses that hid his eyes increased the mysterious aura around him.

'That's one of the those suspicious-looking guys on the coaster.." He recognised the man immediately for he had seen him less than half an hour ago at the murder scene.

The man's suspicious attitude made all his detective's sirens ring like mad. He knew that the black man was up to something; maybe along with the icy blond that had been with him before.

He wouldn't be the great high school detective, saviour of the police department if couldn't recognise a criminal or, at least, a possible one with one look.

He had to follow him and see what he was up to. Then, he would call the police and hand in yet another criminal to justice.

Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.

Friedrich Nietzcshe

-:-

"Sorry, Ran!" he said, starting to run. He turned his head to her and winked playfully. "Go on ahead of me!"

"Eh?" she replied, taken aback. She was still in a state of shocked confusion, thinking of the reasons for which a girl of her age could kill. She stopped half way from drying her tears with her jacket's sleeve and looked at him.

"I'll catch up with you right away!" he assured, waving at her and running in the opposite direction.

"Shi-" she stammered, "Shinichi.." Her feeble attempt to stop him didn't even reach him. It was too late: he had already disappeared in the crowd that was leaving the park. A small frown creased the girl's face and a sudden, unknown feeling flooded her body.

What was it? Concern? Or.. Anguish?

She stayed immobile there for a few minutes. Afterwards, she shook her head, in an attempt to free herself from that bad feeling. After one last glance at the spot where she had seen him before he vanished, she turned around and walked to the park's front gates. A gust of wind lifted leaves, dust and a few old newspapers that were on the side walk, making them twirl together close to her legs. She shivered slightly and wrapped her jacket tighter around herself.

"I'll call him later." she said to herself as she walked towards the bus stop, "And tomorrow at school, I'll give that detective-otaku a nice speech for leaving me like that."

She didn't know that it would be a long time before she would see him again.

At least, in the form she was used to see him.

-:-

1.

He was peeking at the stout man from behind a wall. He was with another man who looked extremely frightened and that was carrying a briefcase. The moment the other opened the case, he knew that he was witnessing something big.

'Whoa..' he thought in awe, 'There's got to be at least 100 million yen in there..'

He had immediately understood what was going on. The black dressed man was black-mailing the other man. All that money for a film with compromising evidences. He slipped a hand in his pocket and drew out a small camera. He started to take a few shots of the exchange of money.

He was so keen and concentrated in taking the photos that he didn't notice the movement behind him.

"Your detective game is over!"

The icy tone reached him too late but he recognised it nevertheless. The blond.

He felt a sharp pain at the back of his head. The sickening sound of metal against his skull and something warm oozing down his neck.

His blood.

He fell to the ground while stars danced before his eyes. The men's' voices reached him from afar.

"A-Aniki.." the stout man stuttered, approaching the blond. He sounded clearly uncomfortable.

"This little bastard was trailing us.." the blond replied. His tone was chilling.

"Should we kill him?"

"No, no guns! The police is still wandering around because of that damn murder earlier!" There was a pause and he heard a soft click. "We'll use this."

There was a creepy hint of amusement in his tone that chilled him. He realised that his sight was slowly dimming: he could only see the men' shadows towering over him now.

"The new poison the Organisation developed." The blond smiled evilly as he grabbed his hair and forced him face up. "You can't find any signs of poison in the body with this stuff. We haven't tested it on humans yet.."

He felt himself being lifted. He tried to fight back but his body didn't seem to respond to his brain's orders.

"So this will be our guinea pig.."

Something went down his throat with some cold water. He fell to the ground with a dull thud, unable to move and eyes half-closed. The tall man turned to him.

"So long.. Detective." he hissed viciously.

As they walked away, neither of the men in black had noticed that the boy was still conscious. He was suffering the pains of Hell but he hadn't passed out.

Hot.

He was feeling an unbearable heat course through his body. His nails dug into the ground, his fingers ripped strands of grass. This was the only movement his body could do as he was there face-down on the ground.

'My body..' he thought, 'It's.. It's hot!' White wisps of smoke came from his body. 'My bones.. It's like they're melting!'

He struggled to keep awake but his eyelids were drooping close.

'No..'

He knew that if he fell asleep, he wouldn't wake up. But the pain was too much. He was exhausted..

He could see the smoke coming from his body slowly envelope him. It was all white around him. As his eyes closed, it turned grey.

And then it was all black.

-:-

'Voices...'

"Hey, come here! We've got a dead body!"

"What?"

'Haha.. So.. I really am dead..'

"Wait, he's still breathing!"

"Hurry, call the paramedics!"

'I'm.. alive?' His eyelids fluttered and he saw shadows dancing in front of him. 'Ah, so that poison doesn't work on humans!'

"Damn.. His head's all bloody.."

'I'm lucky..'

"Hey, wake up!"

His sight bettered slightly and he could make out who was in front of him.

'Policemen?' he thought, squinting and finally seeing the people in front of him. 'A whole bunch of them..'

"Are you okay?"

'This is great!' he inwardly rejoiced, 'Now I can tell everyone what they were doing!'

He squinted as he tried to focus. A ray of light from one of the torch lights the policemen were holding hurt his eyes.

"Can you stand up?" the man closest to him asked, holding out a friendly hand. "Little boy?"

His eyes popped open and his vision turned back. But he didn't bother. What did that man just call him?

He sat up in bewilderment.

"What?"

-:-

2.

The bus stopped in front of the airport's entrance. A flock of people got down and headed to the revolving doors, dragging trolleys and suitcases.

He walked with the crowd, trying to look as normal as possible and avoiding to bump into the ones that were leaving the airport. He looked like a common teenager on his way home after a trip with the sports bag slung on his shoulder and his casual attire. The airport was packed with passengers that were going to board or had just boarded from their flights. A faint, proud smile crossed his face when he realised that his choice for the flight had been excellent. With all these people, anyone would have a hard time spotting him. Even Them.

He approached his flight's counter and handed out his ticket to the agent standing behind the desk. The woman checked it and then handed it back to him, smiling brightly. He gave her a small, shy smile in reply. He turned around and walked towards the terminal and looked up at the plasma screens where the planes departures and arrivals were listed.

'Japan Airlines..' He read the name of his flight on the first row. 'Tokyo..'

He sighed ever so lightly and brushed a hand through his hair.

This was the fourth plane he was taking in less than 24 hours. He had planned his departure in every detail and had thought that exchanging planes in different airports would have made it harder to track him down.

First New York, then Washington, Los Angeles and now.. Tokyo.

Five years. He was going back to his homeland after five years. But his return was not as he had expected.

Coming to think of it, he had never thought that he would have returned to Japan.

Not now that he had no one to return with. Nor anyone who would be waiting for him.

A voice echoed in the terminal announcing that the plane was ready to board the passengers. He lined up behind a young man with a briefcase and watched as one by one, the passengers walked through the metal detectors. The policemen were carefully watching both the people and the screen that showed the items in the hand luggage. He inwardly rejoiced that most of his things were already shipped to Japan. Including his weapons. They were packed in a locked metal box, unloaded and with the safety on. He had been very cautious.

He walked through the detector and took his bag and glasses and proceeded towards the plane down the corridor. Every step he took made him realise that he was really leaving.

But what could he do?

He was nothing now.

No one.

A no one that was wanted both by the Good and the Bad. He was a danger to everyone around him.

Leaving was the best thing he could do.

Escaping was the only thing he had left.

-:-

He fastened the belt as the air hostess had requested. Next to him was the young man with the briefcase.

The latter opened his hand luggage and withdrew a folded newspaper that he immediately started to read.

He peeked at the paper but the headlines didn't interest him so he diverted his stare to the window. The sky was ink blue and streaked with reddish lines at the horizon where the sun had just disappeared. The first stars were timidly shining above him.

The plane began to move. He felt the light pressure and he sank slightly in his seat but his gaze was still fixed at the view out of the window. The airport was moving out of sight very slowly.

He leaned his head to a side till the cool surface of the window touched his forehead. The plane was taking speed: it was going to take off.

He looked out. This was probably the last time he'd see the States. His second country.

Memories flooded his mind. Regret and deep sadness pooled in his heart. He thought of the people he was leaving behind.

'Did they get my message?' he thought, 'Do they know that they're in danger?'

His family. His second family: images of them flew before his eyes.

'No one will ever harm them.' he thought fiercely.

Another face swam in his mind. His heart lurched and the feeling of loss increased as the plane took off into the dark sky.

He was leaving... her.

'No one must harm you.' he thought as the land became far from view. He shut his eyes and swallowed the lump that threatened to come up his throat.

He had made mistakes. He had been reckless and not careful enough.

Nobody had to be harmed.

'Not because of me..'

For we lose not only by death,

But also by leaving and being left,

By changing and letting go and moving on.

Judith Viorst

-:-

3.

Cold.

Darkness.

Loneliness.

She wondered how these things could still bother her. It was the story of her life.

Cold stares from people who could kill a person without feeling anything. Dark corridors in an equally dark, in both literal and figurative sense, building controlled by inferred cameras. No one to trust or to care for.

Alone.

She was alone.

She moved slightly: the first movement in hours. She was in a dark and cold room. And she was alone.

'I don't have anybody..' she thought colourlessly, 'No one..'

She had spent years with Them. So much time that she couldn't even remember if there had been a time when she was free and not enslaved and trapped in that cage that resembled hell. She had resisted with all her might. Despite all their attempts, she had kept her heart free from their darkness. She was emotionless, cold at times and maybe even cynical but not cruel. She had fought and saved herself from being completely indoctrinated and turn into one of Them. Moreover, she had done something that was banned among Them.

She had hoped.

She had allowed a minuscule spark of hope to shine in her heart, hidden behind the walls that enclosed her feelings. The hope that, one day, she would be free. Free from Them.

And once free, she would finally be with-

She gritted her teeth as though enduring a physical pain. Reality hit her like a slap on the face.

She was alone. She had no hope left.

They had taken away the only reason for which she had resisted. Her key to freedom had vanished: she didn't have any reason left now.

She moved again, ignoring her cramped muscles. Her left arm was stiff but she wasn't surprised: she had been handcuffed for hours.

She slowly gazed around the chamber. They were going to sentence her to death.

'No.' she thought, 'They will not kill me.'

Without faltering, she reached for the item in her lab coat. She had pocketed it without Their knowing. She carefully held up her hand, bringing the item to eye-level.

A capsule.

The work of a life. First her parents, now hers.

'How could I have been so.. foolish..' she wondered, 'Only to think that this, this, would have been the last task. That this would have freed both.'

If she had to die, she would do it with her own hands. Not by Them.

Not like they had killed her.

'Nee-chan.. I'm on my way.'

She popped the pill in her mouth with hesitation. And she waited. She was its creator: she knew that the effect was immediate.

She gasped in pain.

Hot.

Her body was hot. She felt as though she was melting.

Was this what the others had felt? The ones that had tested the poison, if we can say so. She was finding out personally what were the effects of her creation.

She failed to stifle a cry.

Pain. Heat. It all mingled together. She clapped her free hand to her mouth to block any other shout and struggled to fight back the pain.

And then, it went all black.

-:-

She didn't know what shocked her most. The fact that she was alive or the fact that the chamber seemed larger than before.

She slowly got up, wondering why the poison had failed when she realised that she wasn't handcuffed to the pipes any more.

'How-?' she thought, mildly bewildered and looked at her hand. She then noticed that she was wearing a lab coat and clothes that were at least three sizes larger than her own.

All sorts of theories crossed her mind. Some had a scientific basis while others were simple absurdities.

But absurd or not, she slowly came up with the only conclusion her rational mind could find.

She was.. smaller. She had shrunk to be exact.

'Someone up there, hates me..' she thought bitterly, looking at herself.

Why couldn't she just die? Why? Why endure this life while all- the only one she loved was gone?

She was still trying to accept her new form when she recalled her last expedition to that detective's house. Kudo Shinichi.

Gin had given him the pill but the body hadn't been found. The house was inhabited: she had been there twice and saw it's state. She then remembered the child clothes that had disappeared when she gone there the second time.

She had said that he was dead because she knew that They would have wanted to take advantage of the situation. To use the poison's side-effect for their own purposes. Moreover, as a scientist, she wanted to see if rejuvenating was really possible with her creation.

Well, she now knew that itwas possible.

She recalled the lab mice that had turned younger. One case over fifty. How ironic that she was one of the 'lucky' cases..

Footsteps coming from afar jolted her out of her thoughts. Them.

She had to escape.

If they saw her now..

Her head jerked upwards to look for any way-out and she saw the ventilation pipe. It was small but with this size, she could..

-:-

She didn't remember exactly how did it but she got out. And once outside, when the cold wind blew at her making her wrap her over-large lab coat around her small body, when she saw dark clouds gathering in the ink blue sky, she realised the enormity of her situation.

She had escaped.

Free. She was free.

No. They would be after her.

Where to go? She was alone. Where could she seek help?

The name appeared clearly in her mind. It was the only one she knew.

After all, how many could share this fate? She could... go there.

She didn't have anything to loose after all.

It was worth a try to meet the other teenage child.

If there's one spark of hope

Left in my glass,

I'm holding it with both hands

It's worth the risk of burning

To have a second chance

Brenda K. Starr

-:-

4.

Commercials.

Soap Opera.

Commercials again.

Cartoons.

Another soap opera.

'What the heck...?!' she thought, annoyed after having spent the last five minutes punching the remote controller's buttons. 'Isn't there the news at this-?'

She turned to the clock on the wall and frowned slightly. It was still early for the noon news. With a sigh, she turned off the television and stood up. She walked to the window and looked out. New York was busy as usual: cars, taxis and a few buses were lined up beneath her and looked like a long, multicoloured snake that slithered on the grey streets. Motorbikes weaved through the still vehicles, earning quite a bit of insults from their occupants.

It was a daily scene.

But not for her..

She turned and scanned the room.

The bed where she had been sitting since the early hours of the day. A wardrobe. A table with a small television on top and a chair with a jacket thrown on it. A small bathroom on the right. On the floor was a sports bag and a laptop bag.

Nothing more. But she couldn't expect better from the anonymous hotel she had picked out in half an hour. Anonymous, unknown and without many expectations.

She walked to the bed again and fell on top of it. A bit of dust erupted from the blanket but she didn't bother to it that much though it itched her nose. She placed an arm over her eyes, shielding herself from the sun beams that poked through the shutter's holes.

She was hiding.

This was the fourth day that she was there. She didn't know for how long it would last. Nor if it would last. All depended on the last turn of events; if their plan had worked, then she still had a chance.

Chance to carry on their work.

To save herself.

But most of all, to find him.

He had sent them a message. A short note that had shattered their certitudes and exposed their weakness.

But it had given them time to plan up something. Though the plan had a cost..

She stayed still for a while, lost in her thoughts and not bothering to the daily racket coming from outside. She stirred only when, carelessly moving her hand, she hit the remote control that she had thrown on the bed in frustration before. She turned the TV on and started zapping again.

An image caught her eye.

She bolted straight up and watched the screen while a sickening feel began to build in her stomach.

A reporter was standing under a bridge. Behind him was visible the yellow banner used by the police forces during cases. As a matter of fact, a few police cars were visible too.

But she noticed all of this in a second moment. The thing that had made her stop her channel- switching was there.

A charcoal, fuming, metallic mass.

A car. Or what used to be one.

The reporter's voice reached her from afar.

"The police forces are still baffled by this unexpected and extreme event." he said with an enthusiastic voice that was quite out of place. He surely was a beginning journalist that had started his career as reporter with a big event. And this was one.

"As I said at the beginning, the flames attracted the attention of a by-passing car driver that immediately alerted the firemen and then the police. Once extinguished the fire, the men discovered the horrific truth."

The reporter paused dramatically and put up a face that should have been sombre.

"Inside the car was a person. Burnt to death.

The police is still working to find the identity of the victim. It seems that the car doors' were locked from inside, so that brings us to the only conclusion. It was a.."

The reporter abruptly looked up, leaving his statement incomplete and disappeared from the screen. There was a moment of quiet murmuring coming from the background and he reappeared again, looking quite excited. The whole sombre attitude had vanished.

"There is a last-minute update." the reporter announced, "Policemen have found a few precious evidences that allowed them to identify the victim." He rustled through the papers of the notebook in his hand. "A chain and.. the carbonized rests of a passport. The victim is a female and it seems that she was in the police forces too but the policemen are not so keen in giving more explanations."

She had stopped listening to him and her stare wandered to what was happening behind the man. She noticed a car halting and a couple of men came out, their faces sombre. She immediately recognised their jackets and badges. Something coiled in her stomach when she recognized the two men's faces.

"As for the victim.." the reporter's voice entered her head again, "She was young, not even twenty. What brought her to this extreme action?" His tone had turned dramatic and theatrical all together.

"Why did she- ? Huh?" He stopped half-way again and a piece of paper was handed to him from a person that was out of screen. "We have the name. She was a foreigner and her name was-"

The TV went off.

She tossed the remote away and got up. She went to the window and her head moved closer to pane till she felt the cool surface touch her forehead.

She felt numb.

Lost.

But this was what she had expected from the beginning.

The confirmation.

The reporter's words echoed in her head.

She was young, not even twenty. What brought her to this extreme action?

'You have no idea..' she thought. The minutes passed and she stayed there with her head touching the glass. After a while, she stood straight and turned around, determination in her eyes.

"I have to move." she whispered. There was no time for regrets or whatsoever. She was doing the right thing despite what she had to set up..

"Let's start."

All truth is not to be told at all times.

Thomas Fuller

-:-

Hi, I decided to re-post all the story with a bit of corrections here and there. And a few things have been added, like this chapter.

Hope you'll like it.

Read and Enjoy!

REVIEW!